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BW. CORN.

GAS ENGINE. No. 575,878. Patented Jan. 26, 1897. y

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Y F. W. GOEN.

GASENGINE.

No. 575,878. Patented Jan. 26, 1897.

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P. W( CORN; GAS BNGINEL No. 575,878. Patented Jan. 26', 1897'.

UNITED STATES PATENT CEEICE.

FREDERICK XV. COEN, `OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,878, dated January 26, 1897.

l 'Application led May 14, 1896. Serial No. 591,465. (No model.)

T ctZZ whom, it may concern:

` r in the cylinder Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. CoEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gas-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in gas-engines, more especially of the class in which' an explosion takes place during the ordinary running of the engine once in 'every second reciprocation of the piston.

My object is to provide a gas-engine having novel and improved automatic exhaustcontrolling and speed-governin g mechanisms, all to the end of simplifying the construction and operation of the engine and of rendering it compact, powerful, particularly steady in operation, and durable.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved engine with the crank-shaft in section; Fig. 2, a broken plan View of the engine, showing the cylinder and its attendant parts in section; and Fig. 3, a if'ertical section taken on line 3 of Fig. 2.

The drawings show only so much of the engine as is necessary to illustrate my present improvements.

A is the engine-frame, B the crank-shaft journaled therein, and C a jacketed'cylinder.

vThe space between the concentric walls of the cylinder has inlet and outlet pipes t t', respectively, for the circulation of a cooling iuid, such as wateror cold air. The cylinder is open at its forward end, and at its rear end is closed by a cylinder-head C. Extending throughthe jacket at the lower side of the cylinder, in the position shown, is a preliminary exhaust or vent port s, communicating 4with a pipe or passage s', and in the cylinderhead is an exhaust-port lr, com municating with a pipe or passage fr'. The passages s r' communicate at a coupling q. In the cylinder-head C are concentric ports p n. The outer port p communicates with a gas-supply passage p', and theinnerportn communicates with an air-supply passage fn'. At the port or explosion chamber C2 is a valve m on a stem m', passing through a guide in the passage r to 'extend beyond the rear end of the engine. Seating upon the concentric ports n p in the chamber C2 is a valve Z on a stem Z', which passes through a guide in the passage n and beyond the rear end of the engine, as shown. Fastened upon the cylinder-head between the stems m Z is an arm Zo. Resting against the end of the arm 7c is a rod or spring lo', fitting at its opposite ends loosely around the valve-stems m Z. At the stem Z the spring k rests against a collar Z2, fixed to the said stem, and confined between the spring k and adjacent surface of the cylinder-head is a coiled spring Z3, which tends normally to maintain the valve Z closed.

Mounted in guides x r2 on the side of the cylinder is a longitudinally-movable bar or rod D, secured at its rear end to the end portion of the exhaust-valve stem m', being confined thereon between a collar m2 and a nut m3. On the rod D between the guides rc is a collar D', and confined upon the rod away, -as shown in Fig. l, .to produce the guide-surface DS and notch or shoulder D.

Fixed upon the crank-shaft B, in the position shown, is a cam E, having the circular g face E and straight face E2. oted at its lower end portion to the side of the frame A at e. J ournaled upon the upper end of the lever F is an antifriction-wheel c', and fixed to and extending forward from the upper end of the lever F is an arm F', having a laterally-projecting finger e2. F2 is a preferably spring-linger pivotally mounted at it-s forward end upon the side of the arm F and resting between its ends normally upon the finger e2. A spring F3 is attached at one end to the lever F, and at its opposite end to a screw i, passing through a guide i on the side of the frame A and provided with a thumbscrew 712. The tendency of the spring F3 is to press the lever at its roller e against the cam E. In the rotation of the crank-shaft when the roller c is at the center of the flat surface E2 the arm F extends in the horizontal plane and tends to raise the spring- F is a lever piv-` IOO finger F2to the plane of the surface D3, while when the roller e' is engaged by the surface E of the cam the lever F is pushed backward to the position shown in Fig. l.

r[he drawings show the moving parts of the gas-engine in the position wherein the piston is about to move in the forward direction to draw in a charge of gas and air. In this movement the suction action of the piston opens the valve Zagainst the resistance of the spring Z3 and draws in gas and air from the supplypassages n/ p. As the fluids enter the chamber C2 they become thoroughly mixed. lWhile the tendency of the spring D2 on the rod D is to maintain the exhaust-valve m open, the engagement of the surface E of the cam with the roller c on'the lever F has thrust the latter forward, causing the spring-finger F2 to engage the shoulder D4 on the rod D, thrust the latter backward against the resistance of the spring D2, and closed the valve m. The engagement of the surface E with the roller e continues during about two-thirds of a complete revolution of the crank-shaft,'so that the rod will be kept in the position of closing the valve m from the time the piston starts forward until it has again moved in the backward direction about one-third the distance of its traverse. The piston moves from the position shown to a point wherein it uncovers the vent or initial-exhaust port s; but owing to the fact that the said port is at the lower side of the cylinder none of the gas will escape. In the backward stroke of the piston the air and gas are compressed, and when one-third of the distance is traversed the surface E of the cam E will pass the roller e', whereby the latter is retracted by the spring F3 to the surface E2, thus releasing the finger FZ from engagement with the rod D and causing it to rest upon the finger c2. The exhaust-valve m will still remain closed against the resistance of the spring D2 under the force of the compressed fiuid in the chamber C2.

On the cylinder C is an igniter G,'which may be of any suitable form, and therefore unnecessary to illustrate in detail in the present connection.

When the piston again reaches the position shown in the figures, which is the rear end of its traverse, the explosion of the gas in the chamber C2 occurs, driving the piston forward. As soon as the piston un'covers the ports a preliminary exhaust or venting takes place through the pipe s, thus relieving the pressure in the chamber to an extent which permits the spring D2 to move the rod D and open the valve m. During the time that the valve m is held closed under the pressure in the chamber C2 the rod D is held in its backward position and the shoulder D'L is out of the path of the finger F2. Thus during the next movement of the piston in the backward direction following. the explosion the valveV m will be maintained open by the spring D2. IVhile the valve m is thus maintained open the collar m2 on the stem on bears against the rod or spring Zt', thereby pressing the opposite end of said rod or spring against the collar Z2 and holding the valve Z closed. In the following forward movement of the piston the valve Z will thus be maintained closed or locked and air will be drawn in through the port r and then discharge through the same to clean out the cylinder. In the second backward movement of the piston following the period of explosion, the valve m being open and the rod D in its forward position, the finger F2 will engage the shoulder D4, push the rod D backward, and close the valve m just as the piston reaches the initial position shown in the drawings.

It will be understood that owing to the strip or spring 7c the inlet-valve Z is locked and cannot open when the exhaust-valve m is open, and that the valve m, owing to the spring D2, is normally open, being closed only when the rod D is engaged and pushed backward bythe finger F2. The movement of thelever F under the action of the cam'E reciprocates the finger F2 longitudinally, and the up-and-down oscillation of the arm F and its finger e2 in the movement of the lever F causes the finger F2 to be raised to the plane of the shoulder D'l when the roller c is at or near the center of the surface E2 of the cam and to fall below the said plane unless held raised by engagement with said shoulder. In order that the finger F2 may engage the shoulder D4 and close the valve fm, the roller e must glide upon the surface E2 to about the center of the latter, and this will only be the case when the cam rotates at less than a predetermined speed, depending upon the tension of the spring F3. Vhen the cam rotates at a higher rate of speed, the roller e' will be caused to j ump across the surface E2 of the cam, so that the finger F2 will vnot be retracted sufficient-ly to engage the shoulder Di. The lever F and attendant parts thus operate as a governor mechanism to regulate the explosions and consequent speed of rotation of the crankshaft. By means of the thumb-nut Z2 the spring F3 may be tensioned to regulate the pressure of the roller e against the cam. The greater the tension of the spring F3 the higher the speed at which the crank-shaft may revolve without causing the roller c to jump the cam-surface E2. sion of the spring F3, therefore, the governing mechanism may be regulated to hold the engine down to a desired speed by causing the valve m to remain open and the valve Zto remain closed to prevent explosions during onehalf, one, or more of the periods when explosions should occur.

When a gas-engine is located in the room By regulating the ten-.

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pipeI provide a port q in the coupling q, fitted with a valve q2, which opens inward and is held to its seat by a light spring Q3. The valve q2 will prevent products of combustion from being discharged into the room and will open to let in fresh air when the valve m is open and the piston moves forward.

My improvements afford a safe and positive means for insuring the proper opening and closing of the inlet and exhaust valves and for governing the speed of the engine. The mechanism is simple and durable and, while always performing its function in a satisfactory manner, is not liable to get out of order.

My improved governor mechanism may be employedto open and close a gas-inlet valve instead of the exhaust by connecting the rod or bar D with said valve and arranging the parts as required. In this way the speed of the engine will be governed by the opening and closing of the gas-supply instead of the exhaust, as described. The outlet-valve m I term a normally open valve, for the reason that the spring D2, which is a permanent attachment to the valve, maintains the latter open except when the finger F2 acts to close the valve against the resistance of the spring. The normal tendency of the valve m is to remain open, while that of the valve Z is to remain closed, and their normal tendencies are overcome only by extraneous forces, such as that under the action of the finger F2 in the one instance and of the inflowing explosive mixture in the other.

AlthoughI prefer to construct my improvements throughout as shown and described, they may be modified in the matter of details of construction without departing from the spirit of my invention as dened by the claims. What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a gas-engine, the combination with the crank-shaft and piston, of a cylinder having a gas-inlet port, an exhaust-port and a vent-port opened and closed by the piston, a normally closed valve at the said inlet-port,

a normally open valve at the said exhaustport, andclosing means for said exhaust-portY valve actuated from the said crank-shaft, substantially as and for'thepurpose set forth.

2. In a gas-engine, the combination with the crank-shaft and piston, of a vcylinderhaving a gas-inlet port, an exhaust-port and a vent-port opened and closed by the piston, a normally closed valve at the said inlet-port, a normally open valve at the said main exhaust-port, a connection between the said valves operating to lock the inlet-port valve against opening when the exhaust-port valve is open, and closing means for the said exhaust-port valve actuated from the said'crankshaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a'gas-engine, the combination with the crank-shaft and piston, of a cylinder having a gas-inlet port, an exhaust-port, and a vent-port opened and closed by the piston, a normally closed valve at the said inlet-port, a valve at the exhaust-port, spring mechanism connected with the said exhaust-port valve and tending to hold the same normally open, a cam upon the crank-shaft, and governor mechanism between the said cam and spring mechanism operated by the said cam to move the said spring mechanism and close the exhaust-port valve intermittingly, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a gas-engine, the combination with the crank-shaft and the cylinder provided with an exhaust -port, of a normally open valve at said exhaust-port, closing means for said valve, a cam on the crank-shaft and governor mechanism actuated by the said cam to intermittingly engage and operate the said valve-closing means to close said valve and means for regulating the pressure of engagement between the cam and governor,whereby when the cam rotates faster than a predetermined speed, the governor will jump upon the cam and thereby fail to engage and operate the valve-closing means, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. Y

5. In a gas-engine, the combination with the crank-shaft and the cylinder provided with an exhaust-port, of a valve at said exhaust port, a reciprocatory bar connected with the said exhaust-port valve, a spring at the bar tending to hold the same normally in the position of opening said valve, a cam on the crank-shaft, governor mechanism actuated by the said cam to intermittingly engage and move said bar to close said valve, and means for regulating the pressure of engagement between the cam and governor, whereby when the cam rotates faster than a predetermined speed, the governor will jump upon the cam and thereby fail to engage and move the said bar, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a gas-engine, the combination with the crank-shaft and the cylinder provided with an exhaust-port, of a valve at said exhaust port, a reciprocatory bar connected with the said exhaust-port valve, a spring at the bar tending to hold the same normally in the position of opening said valve, a cam on the crank-shaft, governor mechanism actuated by the said cam to intermittingly engage and move said bar to close said valve, comprising a pivotal lever F provided with the cam-engaging roller and a swinging rod-engaging finger F2, a spring pressing the lever at its roller against the cam, and tensioning means for the spring, the parts being constructed and arranged to operate substan- Jt'ially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a gas-engine, means for governing the opening and closing of an inlet or exhaust valve, comprising a cam rotated by the crankshaft, a bar connected with the valve and movable to open and close the same, a spring at IOO kIlo

the bar holding the same normally in one position, and governor mechanism actuated by the said cam to intermttingly engage and move said bar against the resistance of its spring, and means for regulating the pressure of engagement between the @am and governor, whereby when the Cam rotates faster than t l predetermined speed, the governor will jump upon the @am and thereby 'fail to engage and move the bar, substantiallyv as described.

I FREDERICK W. COEN.` In presence of- M. J. FRosT, Jv. H. LEE. 

